Last month I started a couple of Facebook pages. I only intended to make one but it took me a bit of practice to figure out the ins and outs of what to call it, how to promote it, and how to post on it and let others post too.  As I practiced with various titles, it seemed like whatever I chose was already in use. Before I knew what was happening, I was congratulated on naming it Port Townsend Washington. That wasn’t my intention but I left it there and thought I’d come back to it later and delete it. I began again and this time I ended up with a page called JEFFERSON COUNTY WASHINGTON OF YESTERDAY.  Again, I didn’t really want that long of a title but once it was in place, I figured I’d plow ahead. 

               I had been given a large collection of old Leader obits, articles and pictures that my deceased friend, Linda Pedersen, had collected over the years and I knew several of them would be of interest to many people. We had collected a lot of the same memorabilia so I began scanning everything that would reproduce well enough to post.  Over the next couple of weeks, I posted 336 on the Jefferson County page and 86 on the Port Townsend page, which shows more recent photographs.

               I was delighted that I had taken the time to start this project because the comments began  appearing right away.  It was surprising to see which photos generated a lot of buzz.  The A&W, George Gunn’s Grocery, and San Juan Grocery were three of these.

               I decided this would make a good blog subject and allow me to promote the page at the same time. I chose the San Juan Grocery as I had the best photos of it to share. Below are some of the comments by local folks……

---Dana Cowing:  My favorite little store we’d ride our bikes /walk there all the time

---Cama Yesberger:  I loved that store I could ride my bike there

---Karen J. Currie:   My grandmother had the store for a while.

---Lorraine Minshull:  I feel sad when I see what remains of that special little store

---Stephanie Moran:  Wouldn't it be great to bring it back to life as a small family business. Oh the good ole days.

---Kim Hoglan:  Grew up going there on our walks to the skating rink.

---Christophor O'Neil Taylor:  I loved riding my bike to San Juan Grocery and buying delicious Ferrera Pan candy with all my hard earned money. I'm always sad when I pass it, looking all run down. Such great childhood memories.

---Yvonne Degrasse Craig:  Emil Nelson, he sure was a wonderful fella. He had a hitching post out there for the horses, and then when Frank bought the place he was always so full of jokes, I believe Frank still owns the property, he runs a market in Port Angeles. I suppose someday somebody will buy it and turn it all into condos or some damn thing.

---Linda Gately: I think a store would do well there again

---Scott D Kimball: Lots of memories walking to that store, used to be for penny candy, later for a Pepsi and a bag of sour cream and onion Doritos

---Candice Cotterill: Highway Specialties just put up a fence around it on Wednesday this week so I am wondering if someone finally bought the property or if it's that much of a hazard again and the city had it fenced off! Anyone know?

---Paul Molloy: Used to get most of my baseball cards there, sad to see in such disarray.

---Mathew Harding: I lived within walking distance of the store, Frank the owner always gave us penny candy when we came in the store.

---Michelle Gravatt:  Another memory, thank for the photos. I use to ride my horse there, tie him up and buy both of us popsicles and licorice. My horse was in heaven

---Eric Clanton:  Love seeing old pictures like these. Keep them coming

---John Allen: I used to go there on my bike and get my parents beer and smokes on our charge account. I was eight years old. Times sure changed

---Terri Derrick:  We used to walk there too! My brothers would buy me Swedish fish. They were a penny each and I’d leave with a little brown bag halfway full! I miss those days.

---Shannon Grewell:  I so wish a store/deli or something would go in here! It is such an eyesore! I have so many memories of walking down there to get penny candy!

---Steve Owsley: I liked Mac, the owner. I too, walked down there what seemed like multiple times per week.

---Mitchell Aman: Great place to ride a bike for ice cream, candy and later on beer.

---Stan Taylor: I remember selling golf balls to Clarence Mack for skating rink money, it was also my bus stop for Grant Street

---Michael Muggy: My favorite place to visit as a kid. It's sad to visit the ghost of it today.

---Sherri Mcgraph: I wish it could be remodeled & opened again instead of it just sitting their rotting

---Bart Vaughan:  most likely too far gone

---Chris Miller: This shop had already been shut down by the time I came to Port Townsend.

---Dean Rigsby:  We would ride our bikes or horse there and buy snacks.

---Diane Lashua:  I use to walk to San Juan Grocery from North Beach just to spend a nickel on penny candy. It was a long walk there and back for 5 pieces of candy but worth it back then to get some sugar and exercise.

---Anthony Jansen: I believe I was right there with you

---Bob Higdon:  My first job at age 12!

---Deanne Kroulik:  When the world was a safer place, AND we could buy penny candies

---Molly Little: Oh the memories. My mom disliked that store because I would steal change and buy ALL the candy!

--- Amy Thompson: Charleston chews were the best deal, because they were huge and 25 cents.

---Buck Ellard: Would love to be able to get that store working again.

---Gregg Caton:  San Juan Grocery. I remember finding old soda bottles and redeeming them for penny candy!

---Aaron Boutilier: penny candies on the way home from school, every day

---Larry Grobe: noticed there's a fence around it now. just popped up in the last few days.

---Mary Burns Fredeen: Back in the day, we lived on Willow Street, one block down from the grade school. I used to ride my bike down the hill to this little store for candy and boy, was that a LONG hill to push my bike back home. Good memory tho.